Malware In My Glasses; Loophole Allows Game Boy Advance on iPhone

Until recently, most of the discussion about Google Glass and other wearable technology has been about the privacy issues that could arise. PCMag’s Max Eddy recently spoke with Corey Nachreiner, director of security at Watchguard, about this topic and said, “In the future, we’re going to have algorithms that will pinpoint things in video automatically, potentially turning Google Glass into a personal info-sucking machine.”

This week, Lookout Mobile Security identified a new vulnerability associated with Google Glass. According to an article by Amir Efrati at the Wall Street Journal, “The vulnerability, at least in theory, could allow hackers to plaster malicious codes and links in public spaces and gain control over the device if it ever took an image that contained them.” As more apps are developed for Google Glass, its smartphone and tablet counterparts could also see similar risks. Wearable devices like Google Glass can collect a huge amount of data that make a tempting target, such as banking login information, two-factor authentication codes, or simply even an embarrassing video to extort money from a victim.

If you own Google Glass or will be buying it soon, we recommend that you follow these safety tips:

1) Use a strong password to lock the device
2) Only install apps from the official app store
3) Keep your OS software up to date
4) When available, install security software
5) When not in use, keep features like Bluetooth off. (This will also help save your battery.)

Gamers have waited a long time to play classics like Pokemon and Super Mario on their iPhone. Unfortunately, publishers like Nintendo have no desire to undermine their own handheld ecosystem, according to ReadWrite’s John Paul Titlow. But thanks to an unexpected loophole in Apple’s developer restrictions, it’s currently possible to install a fully functioning Game Boy Advance emulator on the iPhone or iPad for free—without jailbreaking their device. Emulator developer Riley Testut created the app, called GBA4iOS, based on another popular jailbreak emulator called gpSphone. While it’s not possible to download the app onto a brand new device, John confirmed in a separate story that iPhones can download it via Safari following three basic steps.

Thoughts or comments on this week’s news? Reach the Appthority team on Twitter at @Appthority.